Instructions:Large Finishing Tumbler

Mr. Deburr Vibratory Tumbler Training

Introduction:

Welcome to the North Forge Fab Lab Mr. Deburr Vibratory Tumbler training and Standard Operating Procedure document. In this document you will find all the necessary information to safely and efficiently run the Mr. Deburr Vibratory Tumbler.

Safety

PPE

Required PPE for the Vibratory Tumbler include:

• SAFETY GLASSES
• PROTECTIVE FOOTWEAR
• HEARING PROTECTION
• Nitrile Gloves when mixing solutions
• Splash goggles when mixing or dispensing lubricants

Hazards

• Splashing lubricant
• Handling sharp metal parts
• Vibrating machine
• Wet floor
• Pinching injuries when removing parts from operating machine
• Equipment damage due to overloading machine (max capacity 100 lbs)
• Eye and skin irritation when using cleaners, rust inhibitors, and other solutions
  • L-100 is corrosive, others will irritate skin and eyes
  • If splashed on skin, remove contaminated clothing and rinse affected area
  • If splashed in eyes, use eye wash to flush the affected eye

Machine Overview

The Mr. Deburr 300DB is a deburring and polishing machine. It is designed to deburr parts, and polish a variety of materials using different sets of media. This machine is particularly good at removing rust and getting a high polish and consistent finish on completed metal parts.

Tumbling Media

Currently we have 3 sets of Shop supplied media:

1. Grey Ceramic
   1. The Grey Ceramic media is designed for steel and stainless steel. It cuts hard and fast, and leaves a matte finish.
2. Green Resin
   1. The Green Resin cones are designed for softer metals like aluminum and brass.
3. Corn Cob Polishing Media
   1. Corn cob polishing media can get a highly polished finish on parts, after they go though the primary polish. For example, if you want to mirror polish an aluminum part, first run the part in the Green Resin media to get a consistent finish, then finish the polish in the corn cob media.
   2. Note - we do have corn cob media for both Aluminum and Steel, take care not to cross contaminate the polishing media.

1. Members are welcome to bring their own media if they have a particular project. Please consult with the trainer to ensure we have space for storage, and to determine which lubricant is ideal for the task/media.

* NEVER tumble steel in the Green Resin Media, and NEVER tumble aluminum in the Grey ceramic media due to the risk of contamination. This creates a very bad finish and the media is extremely time consuming to clean.

Lubrication

Most media is used with a lubricant. North Forge supplies the lubricants for each media. The lubricant is located above the tumbler in dispenser bottles and is labeled for each material. To avoid splash damage, wear safety goggles when dispensing lubricants. A minimal amount of lubricant is ideal, as too much will foam up and cause a mess, and not allow the media to cut properly. One pump of lubricant is sufficient for optimal operation.

Corn Cob media should be run dry.

Operating the Machine

1. Ensure Tumbler is empty and clean

• The Tumbler must be cleaned out after every use, so make sure that the tumbling media has been removed.
• If there is media still in the tumbler, ensure you put it into the correctly labeled containers.  
• Wash and scrub the interior of the tank, using water from the hose by the double doors, or the waterjet. A light scrub to remove any possible contaminant is needed to prevent cross contamination between media.

2. Prepare Lubricant/Pump

• Ensure lubricant bucket is cleaned and scrubbed for use to remove any contamination between media.
• Fill bucket with water (from waterjet hose or by the double doors) and one pump of the appropriate lubricant.
• Put the bucket under the outflow hose beneath the tumbler, and put the pump into the bucket. Open the outflow valve at the top of the hose, and plug in the pump, ensuring good flow from each indicated hole in the water pipe at the top of the tumbler.

3. Load Media

• Load the correct media into the tumbler. Use all of the media supplied for the correct material. For example, if using the aluminum media, load the tumbler with all of the media.

4. Prepare Parts for Tumbling

• Consider the loads you are putting into the machine. It can handle around 100lbs of parts, however a large amount of parts will reduce the efficiency and surface finish of the parts. Generally, smaller loads with less parts will tumble faster with a better surface finish, however larger loads will not harm the machine.
• Flat parts can stick together face-to-face when tumbling due to the lubricant surface tension. It is highly recommended to put 1-2 zip ties on a part in order to prevent the parts from sticking to each other, which also helps with the motion of the tumbling in attaining a faster cutting and more consistent finish. You can run a zip tie through an existing hole in the part. If no holes are on the part you can run without a zip tie attached, however your surface finish may not be as uniform if there are many parts in the tumbler at once.

5. Run Machine

• Run the machine, and slowly add parts to the machine.
• Tumbling results can be achieved from as low as 30 minutes, to multiple hours, depending on material, starting surface finish, and machine load.

6. Clean Up/Machine Shutdown

• Once you have achieved your ideal surface finish, put gloves on, and remove parts while the machine is running, ensuring that you are aware of what parts are in the machine to avoid injury. The bucket does not have any moving parts or punch points. Once all the parts have been removed turn off the pump, and tumbler.
• Let water drain for several minutes. Use that time to rinse and clean your parts.
• Move the media bucket to the media drain. Open the drain and run the machine to shake the media into the buckets.
• Put buckets away, and clean the inside to remove contamination.
• Take water bucket and pour outside. Rinse and clean bucket.
• Do any final cleaning and ensure everything is cleaned up.

Troubleshooting:

Issue	Possible Cause	Possible Solution
Water not flowing into tank	Pump Motor Plugged	Remove pump inlet filter, and unscrew the plastic housing (3 screws). Remove the housing and clean any residue that may be causing the pump not to spin. Reinstall housing and test
	Outflow pipe clogged	The water outflows out of several small holes in the pipe. These holes are indicated with black lines. Use a screwdriver or pointed tool to clean the holes out.
Machine not turning on	Breaker is tripped	Reset the breaker at the pane, in the rented spaces near the machining area
	Motor is overheated	Allow to cool for 30 minutes and try again